Action against top education officials likely

Bhubaneswar, August 29 (Odisha.in) Orissa government is likely take action against some more officials of the education department in the alleged sexual harassment case in Ramadevi women’s college, sources said.

Taking serious note of alleged sexual harassment in Capital’s prestigious Rama Devi Women’s College Orissa government has suspended Dr. Gangadhar Mishra, Reader in English, who was allegedly making vulgar comments to the students.

Some final year commerce students had complained against Mishra before the Principal, stating that he had been using offensive languages while teaching in the class room.

Though the complaint was put before the principal, Pratima Devi, for a long time, she did not pay heed to it.

After the matter came to light through media, the State Government directed the director, Higher Education to look into the matter and take appropriate steps against the accused. But he also did not take actions against the accused.

According to sources in the Higher Education Department, actions are likely to be taken against the Principal of the College and the Director for Higher Education Dr.Aditya Prasad Mohanty, who had allegedly ignored the Government order for taking action against the allegedly erring reader.

Meanwhile, the State Commission for Women (SCW) have submitted a report to the Chief Minister recommending action against the principal of the college as she did not divulge any information about the allegation before a fact finding team of the commission that visited the college.

Talking to Odisha.in some teachers of different women’s college in the city said that though on many occasions principals of women’s colleges had drawn the attention of the higher authorities as well as the Minister Higher Education not to appoint male teachers in women colleges as cases of sexual harassment by the are in the rise, nobody paid any heed to such suggestions.

It was alleged that ministers and high officials in the department were keen to post their favoured male teachers in this college.

Last year Odisha.com had published a story mentioning that it was in possession of an audio C.D which was an evidence to establish how male teachers at a Central Valuation Centre in an women’s college in the city were alluring a girl student of giving good division against some “undue favours “.

Though some local newspapers had printed the story and the matter was referred to the chief minister office by some social activists no action was taken to prevent such activities.

Talking to Odisha.in Arati Patnaik, a women activist said that the Government should make a policy decision not to appoint male teachers in women colleges when lady teachers are available in such subjects.

After the sexual harassment case in Utkal University Vani Vihar came to light, the state government should have become cautious while posting teachers in women’s colleges.